Stop the Military Operation in Fata

We, the undersigned, demand an immediate end to the ongoing military operation in the North Waziristan region of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). We expect this, the sixth military operation in FATA within the last decade, to follow the pattern set by the previous “decisive” operations which resulted in death and suffering for the people of FATA.

The current operation in North Waziristan is nothing but a sham that will only increase the suffering of the people of FATA. Those declaring “full support” for the military operation choose to ignore history (and the present) at their own peril.

While we condemn religious extremism and militancy in the strongest terms, we do not believe that the problem of religious militancy in Pakistan can be addressed through military means nor by an exclusive focus on FATA as a harbour of militancy. Our demands are as follows:

1. An immediate and unconditional halt to the ongoing military operation in NorthWaziristan and other parts of Tribal Areas.

2. We demand that the people of FATA have the right to decide what to do with the problem of militancy in their area. This process must include working-classes, peasants, women and minorities in FATA – with complete accountability, full access to independent media and without any coercion from the security establishment or militant groups.

3. Public disclosure of the names, details and any alleged militant linkages of those killed in the ongoing operation.

4. Immediate abolition of the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) and steps to integrate FATA into mainstream Pakistan by providing guarantee of fundamental rights including rights of political association and the national penal code.

5. Formulating and implementing a pro-people development policy to reverse the systematic underdevelopment of the FATA region.

6. Ending the systematic discrimination against internally displaced persons (IDPs) from FATA, who have been denied entry into other provinces.

7. The security establishment must end its policy of supporting militant groups for strategic ends, both within Pakistan and in neighboring countries such as Afghanistan.

8. Cutting off sources of funding and support for militant groups operating in the country, for example from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.

9. Canceling all defense and unequal economic agreements with imperialist powers (such as the US) and institutions (such as the World Bank and IMF), which perpetuate uneven development and exploitation of peripheral regions like FATA.

What Pakistan needs is a new social contract based on the radical equality of all its peoples. The time is for a peoples’ movement against the Pakistani military and ruling classes’ continuing relationship with militant groups and US-Saudi imperialism. Progressives in Pakistan must remain committed to building a pro-people, anti-imperialist and anti-capitalist political alternative without blinding themselves by expressing support for short term measures that only serve to intensify the contradictions bred by almost 70 years of subservience to imperialism and exploitative capitalist development.

Standing with the peoples of Pakistan means saying no to the wars waged against them by American imperialism, the Pakistani military and its proxies. Standing with the peoples of Pakistan means holding this military accountable for its criminal acts, not cheering it on.

> Action for a Progressive Pakistan posted: “***PLEASE ENDORSE STATEMENT > IN THE COMMENTS*** We, the undersigned, demand an immediate end to the > ongoing military operation in the North Waziristan region of the Federally > Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). We expect this, the sixth military > operation”

i do not and shall not endorse this crap bull shit. Social Cool mummy daddies can go and live abroad but we need to own our country back. i will not only disown this shit but also make a whole new shit to support the operation and will get more signs on the petition.

[…] It is for the aforementioned reasons that we oppose the ongoing military operation in North Waziristan and the rest of the tribal areas, and demand its immediate and unconditional end. This is to be followed by a short and long-term program which returns power back to the people themselves not just in FATA but all over Pakistan. In this regard, our demands can be found here. […]

I Disagree with amendments, have already endorsed the original petition.

This petition is an important step, but it serves as a starter for other actions. To be really effective, this theme has to be taken as a campaign, it needs to be followed up with thinks like :

– articles, blogs in mainstream English and Urdu newspapers by people from among us.

– a team among us to visit IDP areas in Bannu, DI Khan etc and send their photos, videos, stories …. so that wider public knows the REAL HORROR of their forced migration and the zero arrangements made by the state for them.

Operation zarb-e-Azb must be stopped immediately and we should collectively urge the relevant quarters to compensate the losses to the victims and IDPS , in the same way as people are compensated in other parts of Pakistan.

An over-riding military operation that displaces hundreds of thousands of civilians from their homes is no solution. Any threats within civilian population needs to be handled through better policing and Intelligence operation.